Facilitating dynamic game surface adjustment

ABSTRACT

A mechanism is described for facilitating dynamic game surface adjustment at smart play surfaces of smart play sets according to one embodiment. A method of embodiments, as described herein, includes receiving one or more inputs to perform an action at a portion of a play surface of a play set; evaluating the one or more inputs for generating an action plan to perform the action at the portion of the play surface, where the action plan is to affect one or more objects acting on the surface. The method may further include executing the action at the portion of the surface, wherein the action to adjust one or more properties of the play surface.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein generally relate to computers. Moreparticularly, embodiments relate to facilitating dynamic game surfaceadjustment.

BACKGROUND

Conventional techniques do not provide for adjustment of gaming surfaces(e.g., Beyblade™ arenas) and thus, users (e.g., game players) of suchgames are unable to enjoy full gaming experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way oflimitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereference numerals refer to similar elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing device employing a game surfaceadjustment mechanism according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2A illustrates a game surface adjustment mechanism according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 2B illustrates an architectural placement according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a use case scenario according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4A illustrates a method for facilitating game surface adjustmentaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 4B illustrates a method for facilitating game surface adjustmentaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 4C illustrates a method for facilitating game surface adjustmentaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates computer environment suitable for implementingembodiments of the present disclosure according to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a method for facilitating dynamic targeting of usersand communicating of message according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth.However, embodiments, as described herein, may be practiced withoutthese specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits,structures and techniques have not been shown in details in order not toobscure the understanding of this description.

Embodiments provide for a novel technique for dynamic interaction withsurfaces to facilitate a surface to change its properties in real-time.Embodiments are not limited to any particular type of surface; however,for brevity, clarity, and ease of understanding, terms like “surface”,“game surface”, “toy surface”, “play surface”, “play arena” or simply“arena” are referenced interchangeably throughout this document.

For example, many of today's toys, games, etc., involve movements ofvarious objects on specific surfaces, such as electric cars racing inrace tracks, trains running on train tracks, Beyblade™ tops to fight itout on battle arenas, Magic™ cards on play surfaces with graphics, etc.Embodiments provide for instrumentation of such play surfaces to enablethe users to have a unique and new user experience where a surface canchange its properties, such as generate a bump or a depression, etc.,on-demand or as predetermined.

FIG. 1 illustrates a computing device 100 employing a game surfaceadjustment mechanism 110 according to one embodiment. Computing device100 serves as a host machine for hosting game surface adjustmentmechanism (“surface mechanism”) 110 that includes any number and type ofcomponents, as illustrated in FIG. 2A, to facilitate real-time anddynamic adjustment of properties of play surfaces as will be furtherdescribed throughout this document.

Computing device 100 may include any number and type of data processingdevices, such as large computing systems, such as server computers,desktop computers, etc., and may further include set-top boxes (e.g.,Internet-based cable television set-top boxes, etc.), global positioningsystem (GPS)-based devices, etc. Computing device 100 may include mobilecomputing devices serving as communication devices, such as cellularphones including smartphones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), tabletcomputers, laptop computers (e.g., Ultrabook™ system, etc.), e-readers,media internet devices (MIDs), media players, smart televisions,television platforms, intelligent devices, computing dust, mediaplayers, head-mounted displays (HMDs) (e.g., wearable glasses, such asGoogle® Glass™, head-mounted binoculars, gaming displays, militaryheadwear, etc.), and other wearable devices (e.g., smartwatches,bracelets, smartcards, jewelry, clothing items, etc.), and/or the like.

Computing device 100 may include an operating system (OS) 106 serving asan interface between hardware and/or physical resources of the computerdevice 100 and a user. Computing device 100 further includes one or moreprocessors 102, memory devices 104, network devices, drivers, or thelike, as well as input/output (I/O) sources 108, such as touchscreens,touch panels, touch pads, virtual or regular keyboards, virtual orregular mice, etc.

It is to be noted that terms like “node”, “computing node”, “server”,“server device”, “cloud computer”, “cloud server”, “cloud servercomputer”, “machine”, “host machine”, “device”, “computing device”,“computer”, “computing system”, and the like, may be usedinterchangeably throughout this document. It is to be further noted thatterms like “application”, “software application”, “program”, “softwareprogram”, “package”, “software package”, “code”, “software code”, andthe like, may be used interchangeably throughout this document. Also,terms like “job”, “input”, “request”, “message”, and the like, may beused interchangeably throughout this document. It is contemplated thatthe term “user” may refer to an individual or a group of individualsusing or having access to computing device 100.

FIG. 2A illustrates a game surface adjustment mechanism 110 according toone embodiment. In one embodiment, surface mechanism 110 may include anynumber and type of components, such as (without limitation):detection/reception logic 201; management logic (“surface/AR logic”) 203including sensors data processor 205; video/audio analytics logic(“analytics logic”) 207; application/execution logic 209; andcommunication/compatibility logic 211.

Computing device 100 may be part of smart play set 200, where “smartplay set” may be interchangeably referred to as “play set”, “playdevice”, “play setup”, “game set”, “game”, “toy set”, or simply “toy”throughout this document. As illustrated, in some embodiments, play set200 may further include various embedded, connected, and/or loose parts,such as moveable objects/attachment (“objects”) 240, active play arena(“surface”) 250, etc. In some embodiments, objects 240, having objectsensors 241, may include players' toys, toy characters, pieces, add-ons,and/or other moveable objects or attachments that may be placed onsurface 250, where surface 250 representing a play surface may includeany number and type of components, such as (without limitation) surfacesensors 251, surface actuators (actuators”) 253, physical effectsdetectors (“detectors”) 255, etc. As aforementioned, throughout thisdocument, active play arena 250 may be referred to as “surface”, “gamesurface”, “toy surface”, “play surface”, “play arena” or simply “arena”.

Computing device 100 may include input/out sources 108 includingcapturing/sensing components 221 and output components 223 which, aswill be further described below, may also include any number and type ofcomponents, sensor arrays, etc. For example, capturing/sensingcomponents 221 may include cameras (e.g., two-dimensional (2D) cameras,three-dimensional (3D) cameras, etc.), sensors array, etc. Similarly,output components 223 may include display screens, display/projectionareas, projectors, etc.

Computing device 100 may be further in communication with any number andtype of other computing devices, such as computing devices (alsoreferred to as “personal devices”) 270A, 270B, 270C (e.g., mobilecomputer, such as tablet computer, smartphone, etc.), that may beaccessed by their corresponding users (also referred to as “players” or“participants”) using user interfaces, such as user interface 271, toserve as input console to not only participate in playing the game, butalso choose to alter or adjust surface 250.

It is contemplated that surface 250 is capable of interacting with otherparts of play set 100, such as touch screen, joystick, and other inputcontrols, etc., along with personal devices 270A-270C such that one ormore properties of surface 250 may be altered using digital inputs fromone or more players using their corresponding personal devices270A-270C.

As will be further described in this document, in one embodiment,computing device 270A-270C may be used by their corresponding players toinput commands or data to have surface 250 behave differently wherecertain properties of surface 250 may be altered (e.g., create a bump, aditch, a bridge, an obstacle, etc.) such that one or more of othercomponents, such as a projector, may be used to project or create ARvisualizations to corresponding to the changes in surface 250. Suchsurface changes may be enabled and facilitated by surface mechanism 110.In one embodiment, play set 100 may be in communication with personaldevices 270A-270C over communication medium 260, such as a Cloudnetwork, the Internet, an intranet, a proximity network, etc.

In one embodiment, computing device 100 may be in communication with oneor more repositories or data sources or databases, such as database 265,to obtain, communicate, store, and maintain any amount and type of data(e.g., media, metadata, templates, real-time data, historical contents,user and/or device identification tags and other information, resources,policies, criteria, rules, regulations, upgrades, etc.). In someembodiments, communication medium 260 may include any number and type ofcommunication channels or networks, such as Cloud network, the Internet,intranet, Internet of Things (“IoT”), proximity network, Bluetooth,etc.). It is contemplated that embodiments are not limited to anyparticular number or type of computing devices, media sources,databases, personal devices, networks, etc.

Computing device 100 may further include I/O sources 108 having anynumber and type of capturing/sensing components 221 (e.g., sensor array(such as context/context-aware sensors and environmental sensors, suchas camera sensors, ambient light sensors, Red Green Blue (RGB) sensors,movement sensors, etc.), depth sensing cameras, 2D cameras, 3D cameras,image sources, audio/video/signal detectors, microphones,eye/gaze-tracking systems, head-tracking systems, etc.) and outputcomponents 223 (e.g., audio/video/signal sources, display planes,display panels, display screens/devices, projectors, display/projectionareas, speakers, etc.).

Capturing/sensing components 221 may further include one or more ofvibration components, tactile components, conductance elements,biometric sensors, chemical detectors, signal detectors,electroencephalography, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, wavedetectors, force sensors (e.g., accelerometers), illuminators,eye-tracking or gaze-tracking system, head-tracking system, etc., thatmay be used for capturing any amount and type of visual data, such asimages (e.g., photos, videos, movies, audio/video streams, etc.), andnon-visual data, such as audio streams or signals (e.g., sound, noise,vibration, ultrasound, etc.), radio waves (e.g., wireless signals, suchas wireless signals having data, metadata, signs, etc.), chemicalchanges or properties (e.g., humidity, body temperature, etc.),biometric readings (e.g., figure prints, etc.), brainwaves, braincirculation, environmental/weather conditions, maps, etc. It iscontemplated that “sensor” and “detector” may be referencedinterchangeably throughout this document. It is further contemplatedthat one or more capturing/sensing components 221 may further includeone or more of supporting or supplemental devices for capturing and/orsensing of data, such as illuminators (e.g., infrared (IR) illuminator),light fixtures, generators, sound blockers, etc.

It is further contemplated that in one embodiment, capturing/sensingcomponents 221 may further include any number and type of contextsensors (e.g., linear accelerometer) for sensing or detecting any numberand type of contexts (e.g., estimating horizon, linear acceleration,etc., relating to a mobile computing device, etc.). For example,capturing/sensing components 221 may include any number and type ofsensors, such as (without limitations): accelerometers (e.g., linearaccelerometer to measure linear acceleration, etc.); inertial devices(e.g., inertial accelerometers, inertial gyroscopes,micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes, inertial navigators,etc.); gravity gradiometers to study and measure variations ingravitation acceleration due to gravity, etc.

Further, for example, capturing/sensing components 221 may include(without limitations): audio/visual devices (e.g., cameras, microphones,speakers, etc.); context-aware sensors (e.g., temperature sensors,facial expression and feature measurement sensors working with one ormore cameras of audio/visual devices, environment sensors (such as tosense background colors, lights, etc.), biometric sensors (such as todetect fingerprints, etc.), calendar maintenance and reading device),etc.; global positioning system (GPS) sensors; resource requestor; andtrusted execution environment (TEE) logic. TEE logic may be employedseparately or be part of resource requestor and/or an I/O subsystem,etc. Capturing/sensing components 221 may further include voicerecognition devices, photo recognition devices, facial and other bodyrecognition components, voice-to-text conversion components, etc.

Computing device 100 may further include one or more output components223 in communication with one or more capturing/sensing components 221and one or more components of surface mechanism 110 for facilitatingplaying and/or visualizing of varying contents, such as images, videos,texts, audios, animations, interactive representations, visualization offingerprints, visualization of touch, smell, and/or other sense-relatedexperiences, etc. For example, output components 223 may further includeone or more telepresence projectors to project a real image's virtualrepresentation capable of being floated in mid-air while beinginteractive and having the depth of a real-life object.

Further, output components 223 may include dynamic tactile touch screenshaving tactile effectors as an example of presenting visualization oftouch, where an embodiment of such may be ultrasonic generators that cansend signals in space which, when reaching, for example, human fingerscan cause tactile sensation or like feeling on the fingers. Further, forexample and in one embodiment, output components 223 may include(without limitation) one or more of light sources, display devicesand/or screens, audio speakers, tactile components, conductanceelements, bone conducting speakers, olfactory or smell visual and/ornon/visual presentation devices, haptic or touch visual and/ornon-visual presentation devices, animation display devices, biometricdisplay devices, X-ray display devices, high-resolution displays,high-dynamic range displays, multi-view displays, and head-mounteddisplays (HMDs) for at least one of virtual reality (VR) and augmentedreality (AR), etc.

For example, in case of play set 200 being a Beyblade™ toy, variousspinning tops, such as objects 240, are configured by players usingmechanical attachments and made to spin in arena, such as surface 250,that causes the tops to bump each other and the last remaining top winsthe battle. In one embodiment, applying surface mechanism 110 to aBeyblade™-like arena, such as surface 250, may facilitate surface 250 toactively participate in the game by allowing the players to strategizeby, for example, connecting various objects 240 (e.g., other players'spinning tops, obstacles, lights, additional weapons, etc.) to bestbattle the opponent player's style of top and facilitating surface 250or one or more portions of it to behave in certain ways, such as turnsoft, erect a hill, build a bridge, blow up, turn into a hole, create abump, etc., making the game more exciting and/or challenging by havingthese changes made to surface 250 serve as favorable to the player,obstacles to other players, or remain neutral, such as serving as apassive scenery or equally challenging obstacles, etc.

Similarly, play device 200 may include other forms of toys, games,setup, etc., such as a train set having a set of train tracks serving assurface 250, race cars having a race track serving as surface 250,sailboats having an area of water serving as surface 250, airplaneshaving a runway serving as surface 250, etc., where these various formsof surface 250 may be altered, on-demand or as predetermined, to becomean active part of using a game/toy, such as play device 100, in order toobtain a unique user experience as facilitated by surface mechanism 110.

In one embodiment, detection/reception logic 201 may be used to receiveusers requests, such as placed via user interface 271 of personal device270A over communication medium 260, to modify one or more properties ofone or more portions of surface 250, such as generating bumps in surface250 for increased difficulty for one or more opponent players or allplayers, etc. Similarly, in another embodiment, detection/receptionlogic 201 may detect predetermined criteria to be applied to surface250, where such criteria may set forth any number of information andrules regarding the type of changes to be applied to surface 250, whattime and for how long they the changes may be applied, any otherfeatures (e.g., lights) are to be turned-on or turned off before, after,or during the application of those changes, and/or the like.

In one embodiment, these predetermined criteria and any applicable orrelevant rules may be stored at database 265. For example and in someembodiments, the rules may be used to define any number and type offeatures, such as how many actions or changes to be applied to surface250, what actions, what time an action may be activated by a player,etc. Further, these rules at database 265 may be player-specific orplay-specific, such as a player with a high record may get to have andapply more actions per game to surface 250, a player may earn and/or buyadditional actions or a right to have more actions per play, and/or thelike.

Upon receiving the user request or detecting predetermined criteriaalong with detecting and accessing any relevant rules at database 265,this information may then be forwarded on to surface/AR logic 203 forfurther processing. In one embodiment, surface/AR logic 203 may be usedto control and manage surface characteristics and/or AR effects based onuser inputs, surface sensor measurements as determined by surfacesensors 251, video recognition results, and sensor readings from one ormore movement objects 240 placed on surface 250 as facilitated by theircorresponding movement sensors 241 and surface sensors 251,respectively. For example, sensors data processor 205 of surface/ARlogic 203 may be used to process any amount and type of data receivedfrom sensors 241, 251, detector 253, one or more sensors of sensor arrayof capturing/sensing components 221, etc., which may then be used bysurface/AR logic 203 to perform its various tasks.

Further, in one embodiment, surface 250 may employ actuators 253 (suchas under or beneath surface 250) and physical effects detectors 255 toappropriately facilitate changes in properties relating to surface 250,such as tilting, creating bumps, applying various physical effects(e.g., magnetic filed, air jets), etc., with precision and in accordancewith one or more of user requests, predetermined criteria, and/or rulesat database 265. For example, actuators 253 and detectors 255 may beplaced under surface 250, where actuators 253 may be used to translateand actualize the requested/predetermined actions (such as based on userinputs, predetermined criteria, rules, etc.) to ensure that surface 250behaves accordingly, such as vibrate, tilt to the right, etc. Similarly,in one embodiment, detectors 255 may be used to detect and project thecorresponding physical effects, such as increased or decreased lightingor sound, creating augmented reality around and at surface 250, and/orthe like, and then communicate this information with actuators 253 sothey may perform their tasks.

Further in one embodiment, play surface 250 may be a surface upon whichone or more people may operate. For example, a person may wear or holdan object that is monitored by surface mechanism 110 such that playsurface 250 may be adjusted in some way to affect the play of the game,such as a surface change on surface 250 may be caused to move a ballthat the person is trying to pick up during the game.

Further, in one embodiment, any data collected by camera, sensors, etc.,of capturing/sensing components 221 and by any other sensors, such assensors 241, 251, detectors 255, etc., may be forwarded on to surface/ARlogic 203, via sensors data processor 205, to determine an appropriateaction and corresponding augmented reality to be performed at surface250 using actuators 253 and one or more output components 223, such as aprojectors, tactile displays, etc. For example, in some embodiment, inan AR-enabled system, such as play set 200, a project of outputcomponents 223 may be used to project images, videos, etc., on andaround surface 250 during the execution of an action, as facilitated byapplication/execution logic 209, to create a more realistic userexperience, such as making AR characters, such as moveable objects 240,blend in with the chosen environment or scenery (such as choosing beach,downtown, mountains, etc., for racing cars, etc.) for the game for aconvincingly realistic experience.

In one embodiment, one or more cameras (e.g., 2D/3D cameras) ofcapturing/sensing components 221 may be used to capture images, videos,etc., of AR characters, such as moveable objects 240, placed on surface250; similarly, any relevant and surrounding sounds or audio may becaptured by one or more microphones of capturing/sensing components 221subsequently, these images, videos, sounds, etc., may be forwarded on toanalytics logic 207 to identify one or more movable objects 240 todetermine their relevant environmental characteristics, such asrecognizing horizontal levels of surface 250 to bind any AR characteractions of objects 240 so that, for example, they do not fall throughthe floor of surface 250.

In one embodiment, movable objects 240 may be sensed using theircorresponding sensors 241, and/or identified using a Radio FrequencyIdentification (RFID) technique to scan any embedded RIFD tags ofmovable objects 240. In one embodiment, objects 240 may be senseddirectly by detection/reception logic 201 and their report may then beprovided to sensor data processor 205 or, in another embodiment, sensors241 may report directly to sensors data processor 205 of the movementsof their corresponding objects 240. For example, sensors 241 may beembedded into their corresponding moveable objects 240 and each timethese objects 240 move, their sensors 241 may sense their movements andprovide movement reports to sensor data processor 205 for furtherprocessing, where these movement reports may include data relating todirection, rotation, velocity, etc., of movable objects 240.

Further, as illustrated, personal devices 270A-C, may include userinterfaces, such as user interface 271 at personal device 270A, to serveas user input controls for accepting requests, commands, inputs, etc.,by various users/players, where each user interface 271 may include adedicated built-in touch screen, and where such personal devices 270A-Cmay include any number and type of computing device, such as desktopcomputes, laptops, tablet computers, smartphones, wearable devices(e.g., wearable glasses, bracelets, etc.) connected over communicationmedium 260 (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth link, etc.).

Further, as aforementioned and in one embodiment, output components 223may include tactile displays to create special vibration patterns, useelectrostatic approaches, dynamic surface morphing (such as usingmicrofluidics, etc.) to allow for proper sensation of contours andraised surfaces on flat screens. Moreover, such tactile display mayinclude dynamic tactile touch displays that use raised bumps may appearand disappear based on electrical charges across a special surface, suchas surface 250.

In one embodiment, upon having various components, such as surface/ARlogic 203, analytics logic 207, etc., perform their corresponding tasks,such as analyzed and evaluated all the available and/or relevant datadetected or obtained from sensors 241, 251, detectors 255,capturing/sensing components 221 (e.g., cameras, sensor arrays, etc.),user inputs via physical devices 270A-270C, predetermined criteriaand/or rules being maintained at database 265, etc., surface/AR logic203 may then forward the evaluation results of these findings toapplication/execution logic 209 which may then be triggered to applythese results and execute any corresponding actions at surface 250.

In one embodiment, an action that may be performed to alter properties,conditions, etc., at surface 250 may include a player choosing a powerplay to change one or more portions of surface 250 such that they areinhibited or constrained for opponent players, where such changingsurface conditions may include (without limitation) haptic/vibrationbeneath surface 250 near the opponent's top, tilt to part of surface250, generate physical bumps on surface 250, create adjustable magneticfields under surface 250 to slow the top, and/or the like. Similarly, insome embodiments, other actions may include (without limitation): 1)vibration under a specific area of surface 250, which may be achievedthrough one or more projectors of output components 223 which may beused to project a texture on that specific area of surface 250 so thatthe specific area appears rough; 2) player scores, which may be achievedby having one or more projectors of output components 223 project orindicate the score at a particular spot of scoring on surface 250; and3) top moves across surface 250, which may be achieved by having one ormore projectors of output components 223 project a path of top that isprevious or anticipated; and/or the like.

Moreover, in one embodiment, communication/compatibility logic 211 mayinclude various components relating to communication, messaging,compatibility, etc., such as connectivity and messaging logic, tofacilitate communication and exchange of messages and data, etc.,between surface mechanism 110 at computing device 100, movable objects240, surface 250, personal devices 270A-270C, and/or the like.

Communication/compatibility logic 211 may be used to facilitate dynamiccommunication and compatibility between computing device 100, personaldevices 270A-C, database(s) 265, etc., and any number and type of othercomputing devices (such as wearable computing devices, mobile computingdevices, desktop computers, server computing devices, etc.), processingdevices (e.g., central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit(GPU), etc.), capturing/sensing components (e.g., non-visual datasensors/detectors, such as audio sensors, olfactory sensors, hapticsensors, signal sensors, vibration sensors, chemicals detectors, radiowave detectors, force sensors, weather/temperature sensors,body/biometric sensors, scanners, etc., and visual datasensors/detectors, such as cameras, etc.), user/context-awarenesscomponents and/or identification/verification sensors/devices (such asbiometric sensors/detectors, scanners, etc.), memory or storage devices,data sources, and/or database(s) (such as data storage devices, harddrives, solid-state drives, hard disks, memory cards or devices, memorycircuits, etc.), network(s) (e.g., Cloud network, the Internet,intranet, cellular network, proximity networks, such as Bluetooth,Bluetooth low energy (BLE), Bluetooth Smart, Wi-Fi proximity, RadioFrequency Identification (RFID), Near Field Communication (NFC), BodyArea Network (BAN), etc.), wireless or wired communications and relevantprotocols (e.g., Wi-Fi®, WiMAX, Ethernet, etc.), connectivity andlocation management techniques, software applications/websites, (e.g.,social and/or business networking websites, business applications, gamesand other entertainment applications, etc.), programming languages,etc., while ensuring compatibility with changing technologies,parameters, protocols, standards, etc.

Throughout this document, terms like “logic”, “component”, “module”,“framework”, “engine”, “tool”, and the like, may be referencedinterchangeably and include, by way of example, software, hardware,and/or any combination of software and hardware, such as firmware.Further, any use of a particular brand, word, term, phrase, name, and/oracronym, such as “play set”, “play device”, “surface”, “arena”, “movableobjects”, “attachments”, “game surface adjustment”, Beyblade™”,“personal device”, “toy”, “game”, “player”, “smart device”, “mobilecomputer”, “wearable device”, etc., should not be read to limitembodiments to software or devices that carry that label in products orin literature external to this document.

It is contemplated that any number and type of components may be addedto and/or removed from surface mechanism 110 to facilitate variousembodiments including adding, removing, and/or enhancing certainfeatures. For brevity, clarity, and ease of understanding of surfacemechanism 110, many of the standard and/or known components, such asthose of a computing device, are not shown or discussed here. It iscontemplated that embodiments, as described herein, are not limited toany particular technology, topology, system, architecture, and/orstandard and are dynamic enough to adopt and adapt to any futurechanges.

FIG. 2B illustrates an architectural placement 280 according to oneembodiment. As an initial matter, for brevity, clarity, and ease ofunderstanding, many of the components and processes discussed above withreference to FIGS. 1-2A may not be repeated or discussed hereafter.

It is contemplated and to be noted that embodiments are not limited toany particular architecture setup, such as architectural placement 280,or as described with reference to FIG. 2A, and that any number and typeof components may be employed, placed, and used in any manner or form toperform the relevant tasks for facilitating game surface adjustment.

As illustrated here, in one embodiment, surface mechanism 110 mayinclude any number and type of components, such as (without limitation):surface/AR logic 203; V/A logic 207; sensors data processor 205; andapplication/execution logic 209. As further illustrated and previouslydescribed with reference to FIG. 2A, in one embodiment, surfacemechanism 110 includes communication/compatibility logic 211 whichincludes connectivity and messaging module 281 for performing varioustasks relating to connectivity and messaging between various componentsof surface mechanism 110 as well as other components and devices, suchas moveable objects 240, surface 250, personal device 270A,communication medium 260 of FIG. 2A, etc.

Similarly, as illustrated and described with reference to FIG. 2A,detection/reception logic 201 may include user input console 283 toallow a user/player to provide inputs, place requests, set preferences,etc., in addition to or in lieu of using personal device 270A. Asfurther illustrated, in one embodiment, database 265, serving as rulesdatabase/storage, may be part of surface mechanism 110 at computingdevice 100 of FIG. 2A.

In some embodiments, other components include 2D/3D camera 291 ofcapture/sensing components 221, and projector 293 of output components223 of FIG. 2A. Similarly, as illustrated, additional components includemoveable objects/attachments 240 having sensors 241, and active playarena/surface 250 having surface sensors 251, actuators 253, andphysical effects detectors 255 as previously described with reference toFIG. 2A.

FIG. 3 illustrates a use case scenario 300 according to one embodiment.As an initial matter, for brevity, clarity, and ease of understanding,many of the components and processes discussed above with reference toFIGS. 1-2B may not be repeated or discussed hereafter. Further, it iscontemplated and to be noted that embodiments are not limited to thisparticular use case scenario 300 any of its particular components, suchas Beyblade™-like games, toys, surfaces, etc., and that any number andtype of other play sets and components may be used for facilitating gamesurface adjustment as facilitated by surface mechanism 110 of FIG. 2A.As aforementioned, some examples of other play sets using surfacemechanism 110 may include (without limitation) train sets, race carsets, boating sets, plane sets, Hot Wheel® race track sets, Matchbox®track sets, and even board games like Chutes and Ladders™, etc.

Referring now to the illustrated embodiment, for example, aBeyblad™-like play set may be used where surface 250 is shown to have acouple of spinning tops, such as moveable objects 240. In thisembodiment and as discussed with reference to FIG. 2A, various commandfor actions being performed at surface 250 may be received from moveableobjects 240, such as using their sensors 241 of FIG. 2A, and/or fromuser 301 placing one or more commands directly using user interface 271of physical device 270 A of FIG. 2A and/or user input console 283 ofdetection/reception logic 201 of FIG. 2B. In one embodiment, suchcommands may then be processed by various components of surfacemechanism 110 of FIG. 2B, resulting in an action is performed withrespect to one or more characteristics/properties of surface 250, suchas (as illustrated) projecting an image, such as projected surface image303, on a particular area of surface 250 using projector 293 andactuating the action within the area using one or more actuators 253that are typically placed beneath surface 250.

FIG. 4A illustrates a method 400 for facilitating game surfaceadjustment according to one embodiment. Method 400 may be performed byprocessing logic that may comprise hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicatedlogic, programmable logic, etc.), software (such as instructions run ona processing device), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment,method 400 may be performed by surface mechanism 110 of FIG. 2A. Theprocesses of method 400 are illustrated in linear sequences for brevityand clarity in presentation; however, it is contemplated that any numberof them can be performed in parallel, asynchronously, or in differentorders. For brevity, many of the details discussed with reference to theprevious figures may not be discussed or repeated hereafter.

Method 400 begins with block 401 with one or more sensors, such asmoveable object sensors, surface sensors, cameras, etc., trackinglocation of a game piece, such as a moveable object, on a surface of aplay set. At block 403, a determination is made as to whether thetracked location triggers an effect of an action being performed on thesurface. If not, method 400 continues with the process of block 401. Ifyes, method 400 continues at block 405 with an application of the effectto facilitate the action on the surface.

FIG. 4B illustrates a method 430 for facilitating game surfaceadjustment according to one embodiment. Method 430 may be performed byprocessing logic that may comprise hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicatedlogic, programmable logic, etc.), software (such as instructions run ona processing device), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment,method 430 may be performed by surface mechanism 110 of FIG. 2A. Theprocesses of method 430 are illustrated in linear sequences for brevityand clarity in presentation; however, it is contemplated that any numberof them can be performed in parallel, asynchronously, or in differentorders. For brevity, many of the details discussed with reference to theprevious figures may not be discussed or repeated hereafter.

Method 430 begins at block 431 with a player using a play set initiatingand placing a command (e.g., spell command) to facilitate an action at asurface of the play set. At block 433, the command is detected and, atblock 435, the effect (e.g., spell effect) is looked up. At block 437,the effect is implemented to facilitated the action at the surface ofthe play set.

FIG. 4C illustrates a method 450 for facilitating game surfaceadjustment according to one embodiment. Method 450 may be performed byprocessing logic that may comprise hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicatedlogic, programmable logic, etc.), software (such as instructions run ona processing device), or a combination thereof. In one embodiment,method 450 may be performed by surface mechanism 110 of FIG. 2A. Theprocesses of method 450 are illustrated in linear sequences for brevityand clarity in presentation; however, it is contemplated that any numberof them can be performed in parallel, asynchronously, or in differentorders. For brevity, many of the details discussed with reference to theprevious figures may not be discussed or repeated hereafter.

Method 450 beings at block 451 with one or more components of surfacemechanism 110 of FIG. 2B receiving or detecting user inputs/commandsand/or predetermined criteria relating to an action to be performed on asurface of a play set and continues, at block 453, with detection orreception of sensory data, as retrieved by various sensors, detectors,cameras, etc. At block 455, the user inputs/commands, predeterminedcriteria, and/or sensor data are evaluated and, as a result, at block457, an action (e.g., AR-based action) plan to facilitate the action onthe surface is prepared. At block 459, the action plan is applied andthe action is executed at the surface of the play set.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a computing system 500 capable ofsupporting the operations discussed above. Computing system 500represents a range of computing and electronic devices (wired orwireless) including, for example, desktop computing systems, laptopcomputing systems, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants(PDAs) including cellular-enabled PDAs, set top boxes, smartphones,tablets, wearable devices, etc. Alternate computing systems may includemore, fewer and/or different components. Computing device 500 may be thesame as or similar to or include computing devices 100 described inreference to FIG. 1.

Computing system 500 includes bus 505 (or, for example, a link, aninterconnect, or another type of communication device or interface tocommunicate information) and processor 510 coupled to bus 505 that mayprocess information. While computing system 500 is illustrated with asingle processor, it may include multiple processors and/orco-processors, such as one or more of central processors, image signalprocessors, graphics processors, and vision processors, etc. Computingsystem 500 may further include random access memory (RAM) or otherdynamic storage device 520 (referred to as main memory), coupled to bus505 and may store information and instructions that may be executed byprocessor 510. Main memory 520 may also be used to store temporaryvariables or other intermediate information during execution ofinstructions by processor 510.

Computing system 500 may also include read only memory (ROM) and/orother storage device 530 coupled to bus 505 that may store staticinformation and instructions for processor 510. Date storage device 540may be coupled to bus 505 to store information and instructions. Datestorage device 540, such as magnetic disk or optical disc andcorresponding drive may be coupled to computing system 500.

Computing system 500 may also be coupled via bus 505 to display device550, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD) orOrganic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) array, to display information to auser. User input device 560, including alphanumeric and other keys, maybe coupled to bus 505 to communicate information and command selectionsto processor 510. Another type of user input device 560 is cursorcontrol 570, such as a mouse, a trackball, a touchscreen, a touchpad, orcursor direction keys to communicate direction information and commandselections to processor 510 and to control cursor movement on display550. Camera and microphone arrays 590 of computer system 500 may becoupled to bus 505 to observe gestures, record audio and video and toreceive and transmit visual and audio commands.

Computing system 500 may further include network interface(s) 580 toprovide access to a network, such as a local area network (LAN), a widearea network (WAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a personal areanetwork (PAN), Bluetooth, a cloud network, a mobile network (e.g.,3^(rd) Generation (3G), etc.), an intranet, the Internet, etc. Networkinterface(s) 580 may include, for example, a wireless network interfacehaving antenna 585, which may represent one or more antenna(e). Networkinterface(s) 580 may also include, for example, a wired networkinterface to communicate with remote devices via network cable 587,which may be, for example, an Ethernet cable, a coaxial cable, a fiberoptic cable, a serial cable, or a parallel cable.

Network interface(s) 580 may provide access to a LAN, for example, byconforming to IEEE 802.11b and/or IEEE 802.11g standards, and/or thewireless network interface may provide access to a personal areanetwork, for example, by conforming to Bluetooth standards. Otherwireless network interfaces and/or protocols, including previous andsubsequent versions of the standards, may also be supported.

In addition to, or instead of, communication via the wireless LANstandards, network interface(s) 580 may provide wireless communicationusing, for example, Time Division, Multiple Access (TDMA) protocols,Global Systems for Mobile Communications (GSM) protocols, Code Division,Multiple Access (CDMA) protocols, and/or any other type of wirelesscommunications protocols.

Network interface(s) 580 may include one or more communicationinterfaces, such as a modem, a network interface card, or otherwell-known interface devices, such as those used for coupling to theEthernet, token ring, or other types of physical wired or wirelessattachments for purposes of providing a communication link to support aLAN or a WAN, for example. In this manner, the computer system may alsobe coupled to a number of peripheral devices, clients, control surfaces,consoles, or servers via a conventional network infrastructure,including an Intranet or the Internet, for example.

It is to be appreciated that a lesser or more equipped system than theexample described above may be preferred for certain implementations.Therefore, the configuration of computing system 500 may vary fromimplementation to implementation depending upon numerous factors, suchas price constraints, performance requirements, technologicalimprovements, or other circumstances. Examples of the electronic deviceor computer system 500 may include without limitation a mobile device, apersonal digital assistant, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, acellular telephone, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, amessaging device, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktopcomputer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a handheld computer, atablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, a web server,a network server, an Internet server, a work station, a mini-computer, amain frame computer, a supercomputer, a network appliance, a webappliance, a distributed computing system, multiprocessor systems,processor-based systems, consumer electronics, programmable consumerelectronics, television, digital television, set top box, wirelessaccess point, base station, subscriber station, mobile subscribercenter, radio network controller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch,machine, or combinations thereof.

Embodiments may be implemented as any or a combination of: one or moremicrochips or integrated circuits interconnected using a parentboard,hardwired logic, software stored by a memory device and executed by amicroprocessor, firmware, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), and/or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The term “logic”may include, by way of example, software or hardware and/or combinationsof software and hardware.

Embodiments may be provided, for example, as a computer program productwhich may include one or more machine-readable media having storedthereon machine-executable instructions that, when executed by one ormore machines such as a computer, network of computers, or otherelectronic devices, may result in the one or more machines carrying outoperations in accordance with embodiments described herein. Amachine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, floppydiskettes, optical disks, CD-ROMs (Compact Disc-Read Only Memories), andmagneto-optical disks, ROMs, RAMs, EPROMs (Erasable Programmable ReadOnly Memories), EEPROMs (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read OnlyMemories), magnetic or optical cards, flash memory, or other type ofmedia/machine-readable medium suitable for storing machine-executableinstructions.

Moreover, embodiments may be downloaded as a computer program product,wherein the program may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., aserver) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of one or moredata signals embodied in and/or modulated by a carrier wave or otherpropagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem and/ornetwork connection).

References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “example embodiment”,“various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment(s) sodescribed may include particular features, structures, orcharacteristics, but not every embodiment necessarily includes theparticular features, structures, or characteristics. Further, someembodiments may have some, all, or none of the features described forother embodiments.

In the following description and claims, the term “coupled” along withits derivatives, may be used. “Coupled” is used to indicate that two ormore elements co-operate or interact with each other, but they may ormay not have intervening physical or electrical components between them.

As used in the claims, unless otherwise specified the use of the ordinaladjectives “first”, “second”, “third”, etc., to describe a commonelement, merely indicate that different instances of like elements arebeing referred to, and are not intended to imply that the elements sodescribed must be in a given sequence, either temporally, spatially, inranking, or in any other manner.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a computing environment 600 capableof supporting the operations discussed above. The modules and systemscan be implemented in a variety of different hardware architectures andform factors including that shown in FIG. 4.

The Command Execution Module 601 includes a central processing unit tocache and execute commands and to distribute tasks among the othermodules and systems shown. It may include an instruction stack, a cachememory to store intermediate and final results, and mass memory to storeapplications and operating systems. The Command Execution Module mayalso serve as a central coordination and task allocation unit for thesystem.

The Screen Rendering Module 621 draws objects on the one or moremultiple screens for the user to see. It can be adapted to receive thedata from the Virtual Object Behavior Module 604, described below, andto render the virtual object and any other objects and forces on theappropriate screen or screens. Thus, the data from the Virtual ObjectBehavior Module would determine the position and dynamics of the virtualobject and associated gestures, forces and objects, for example, and theScreen Rendering Module would depict the virtual object and associatedobjects and environment on a screen, accordingly. The Screen RenderingModule could further be adapted to receive data from the Adjacent ScreenPerspective Module 607, described below, to either depict a targetlanding area for the virtual object if the virtual object could be movedto the display of the device with which the Adjacent Screen PerspectiveModule is associated. Thus, for example, if the virtual object is beingmoved from a main screen to an auxiliary screen, the Adjacent ScreenPerspective Module 2 could send data to the Screen Rendering Module tosuggest, for example in shadow form, one or more target landing areasfor the virtual object on that track to a user's hand movements or eyemovements.

The Object and Gesture Recognition System 622 may be adapted torecognize and track hand and harm gestures of a user. Such a module maybe used to recognize hands, fingers, finger gestures, hand movements anda location of hands relative to displays. For example, the Object andGesture Recognition Module could for example determine that a user madea body part gesture to drop or throw a virtual object onto one or theother of the multiple screens, or that the user made a body part gestureto move the virtual object to a bezel of one or the other of themultiple screens. The Object and Gesture Recognition System may becoupled to a camera or camera array, a microphone or microphone array, atouch screen or touch surface, or a pointing device, or some combinationof these items, to detect gestures and commands from the user.

The touch screen or touch surface of the Object and Gesture RecognitionSystem may include a touch screen sensor. Data from the sensor may befed to hardware, software, firmware or a combination of the same to mapthe touch gesture of a user's hand on the screen or surface to acorresponding dynamic behavior of a virtual object. The sensor date maybe used to momentum and inertia factors to allow a variety of momentumbehavior for a virtual object based on input from the user's hand, suchas a swipe rate of a user's finger relative to the screen. Pinchinggestures may be interpreted as a command to lift a virtual object fromthe display screen, or to begin generating a virtual binding associatedwith the virtual object or to zoom in or out on a display. Similarcommands may be generated by the Object and Gesture Recognition Systemusing one or more cameras without benefit of a touch surface.

The Direction of Attention Module 623 may be equipped with cameras orother sensors to track the position or orientation of a user's face orhands. When a gesture or voice command is issued, the system candetermine the appropriate screen for the gesture. In one example, acamera is mounted near each display to detect whether the user is facingthat display. If so, then the direction of attention module informationis provided to the Object and Gesture Recognition Module 622 to ensurethat the gestures or commands are associated with the appropriatelibrary for the active display. Similarly, if the user is looking awayfrom all of the screens, then commands can be ignored.

The Device Proximity Detection Module 625 can use proximity sensors,compasses, GPS (global positioning system) receivers, personal areanetwork radios, and other types of sensors, together with triangulationand other techniques to determine the proximity of other devices. Once anearby device is detected, it can be registered to the system and itstype can be determined as an input device or a display device or both.For an input device, received data may then be applied to the ObjectGesture and Recognition System 622. For a display device, it may beconsidered by the Adjacent Screen Perspective Module 607.

The Virtual Object Behavior Module 604 is adapted to receive input fromthe Object Velocity and Direction Module, and to apply such input to avirtual object being shown in the display. Thus, for example, the Objectand Gesture Recognition System would interpret a user gesture and bymapping the captured movements of a user's hand to recognized movements,the Virtual Object Tracker Module would associate the virtual object'sposition and movements to the movements as recognized by Object andGesture Recognition System, the Object and Velocity and Direction Modulewould capture the dynamics of the virtual object's movements, and theVirtual Object Behavior Module would receive the input from the Objectand Velocity and Direction Module to generate data that would direct themovements of the virtual object to correspond to the input from theObject and Velocity and Direction Module.

The Virtual Object Tracker Module 606 on the other hand may be adaptedto track where a virtual object should be located in three dimensionalspace in a vicinity of an display, and which body part of the user isholding the virtual object, based on input from the Object and GestureRecognition Module. The Virtual Object Tracker Module 606 may forexample track a virtual object as it moves across and between screensand track which body part of the user is holding that virtual object.Tracking the body part that is holding the virtual object allows acontinuous awareness of the body part's air movements, and thus aneventual awareness as to whether the virtual object has been releasedonto one or more screens.

The Gesture to View and Screen Synchronization Module 608, receives theselection of the view and screen or both from the Direction of AttentionModule 623 and, in some cases, voice commands to determine which view isthe active view and which screen is the active screen. It then causesthe relevant gesture library to be loaded for the Object and GestureRecognition System 622. Various views of an application on one or morescreens can be associated with alternative gesture libraries or a set ofgesture templates for a given view. As an example in FIG. 1A apinch-release gesture launches a torpedo, but in FIG. 1B, the samegesture launches a depth charge.

The Adjacent Screen Perspective Module 607, which may include or becoupled to the Device Proximity Detection Module 625, may be adapted todetermine an angle and position of one display relative to anotherdisplay. A projected display includes, for example, an image projectedonto a wall or screen. The ability to detect a proximity of a nearbyscreen and a corresponding angle or orientation of a display projectedtherefrom may for example be accomplished with either an infraredemitter and receiver, or electromagnetic or photo-detection sensingcapability. For technologies that allow projected displays with touchinput, the incoming video can be analyzed to determine the position of aprojected display and to correct for the distortion caused by displayingat an angle. An accelerometer, magnetometer, compass, or camera can beused to determine the angle at which a device is being held whileinfrared emitters and cameras could allow the orientation of the screendevice to be determined in relation to the sensors on an adjacentdevice. The Adjacent Screen Perspective Module 607 may, in this way,determine coordinates of an adjacent screen relative to its own screencoordinates. Thus, the Adjacent Screen Perspective Module may determinewhich devices are in proximity to each other, and further potentialtargets for moving one or more virtual object's across screens. TheAdjacent Screen Perspective Module may further allow the position of thescreens to be correlated to a model of three-dimensional spacerepresenting all of the existing objects and virtual objects.

The Object and Velocity and Direction Module 603 may be adapted toestimate the dynamics of a virtual object being moved, such as itstrajectory, velocity (whether linear or angular), momentum (whetherlinear or angular), etc. by receiving input from the Virtual ObjectTracker Module. The Object and Velocity and Direction Module may furtherbe adapted to estimate dynamics of any physics forces, by for exampleestimating the acceleration, deflection, degree of stretching of avirtual binding, etc. and the dynamic behavior of a virtual object oncereleased by a user's body part. The Object and Velocity and DirectionModule may also use image motion, size and angle changes to estimate thevelocity of objects, such as the velocity of hands and fingers

The Momentum and Inertia Module 602 can use image motion, image size,and angle changes of objects in the image plane or in athree-dimensional space to estimate the velocity and direction ofobjects in the space or on a display. The Momentum and Inertia Module iscoupled to the Object and Gesture Recognition System 622 to estimate thevelocity of gestures performed by hands, fingers, and other body partsand then to apply those estimates to determine momentum and velocitiesto virtual objects that are to be affected by the gesture.

The 3D Image Interaction and Effects Module 605 tracks user interactionwith 3D images that appear to extend out of one or more screens. Theinfluence of objects in the z-axis (towards and away from the plane ofthe screen) can be calculated together with the relative influence ofthese objects upon each other. For example, an object thrown by a usergesture can be influenced by 3D objects in the foreground before thevirtual object arrives at the plane of the screen. These objects maychange the direction or velocity of the projectile or destroy itentirely. The object can be rendered by the 3D Image Interaction andEffects Module in the foreground on one or more of the displays.

The following clauses and/or examples pertain to further embodiments orexamples. Specifics in the examples may be used anywhere in one or moreembodiments. The various features of the different embodiments orexamples may be variously combined with some features included andothers excluded to suit a variety of different applications. Examplesmay include subject matter such as a method, means for performing actsof the method, at least one machine-readable medium includinginstructions that, when performed by a machine cause the machine toperforms acts of the method, or of an apparatus or system forfacilitating hybrid communication according to embodiments and examplesdescribed herein.

Some embodiments pertain to Example 1 that includes an apparatus tofacilitate dynamic game surface adjustment, comprising:detection/reception logic to receive one or more inputs to perform anaction at a portion of a play surface of the apparatus; management logicto evaluate the one or more inputs for generating an action plan toperform the action at the portion of the play surface, wherein theaction plan is to affect one or more objects acting on the surface; andapplication/execution logic to execute the action at the portion of thesurface, wherein the action to adjust one or more properties of the playsurface.

Example 2 includes the subject matter of Example 1, wherein the playsurface to host the one or more objects including one or more moveableobjects having object sensors, wherein the play surface includes atleast one of surface sensors, actuators, and physical effects detectors,wherein the apparatus includes a play set comprising one or more of asmart toy, a smart game set, a smart field, and a smart play area, andwherein the play surface includes a play arena associated with the playset, and wherein the play surface is further to host one or more usersholding or wearing the one or more moveable objects.

Example 3 includes the subject matter of Example 1, wherein the sensoryinput comprises at least one of surface-related sensory data asretrieved via one or more of the surface sensors, moveableobject-related sensory data as retrieved via one or more of the objectsensors, and physical effects-related information at the surface asretrieved via one or more of the physical effects detectors, and whereinthe one or more inputs include at least one of a user command, apredetermined criterion, a sensory input, and an audio/visual input.

Example 4 includes the subject matter of Example 1 or 2, wherein anactuator of the actuators to activate the portion of the play surface totrigger the action at the portion of the play surface, wherein theactuator is placed beneath the portion of the play surface, and whereinthe actuator is further to activate other one or more actions of theaction plan on the play surface, wherein the other one or more actionsinclude at least one of vibrating, moving, swinging, tilting, booming,sinking, and bumping of the play surface.

Example 5 includes the subject matter of Example 1, further comprisingsensors data processor of the management logic to process the sensoryinput prior to evaluating the one or more inputs to generate the actionplan.

Example 6 includes the subject matter of Example 1, further comprisingvideo/audio analytics logic to evaluate the audio/video input to analyzeactivities of the one or more moveable objects operating on the surface,wherein the audio/video input includes at least one of sounds, images,and videos relating to the activities of the one or more moveableobjects, wherein the audio/video input is captured via at least of atwo-dimensional (2D) camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, amicrophone of capturing/sensing components.

Example 7 includes the subject matter of Example 1 or 6, furthercomprising output components including one or more projectors tofacilitate a projection at the portion of the play surface, wherein theprojection to reflect an environment relevant to the action, wherein theprojection includes one or more of numbers, letters, characters,messages, lights, images, videos, and colors.

Example 8 includes the subject matter of Example 1, wherein the usercommand is placed by a user via an user interface at a computing deviceover a communication medium, wherein the communication medium includesat least one of a Cloud network, an intranet, a proximity network, andthe Internet.

Example 9 includes the subject matter of Example 1 or 8, furthercomprising a database to store the one or more inputs, wherein thedatabase to further store rules or policies relating to at least one ofthe user, the action, and the play surface, wherein the databaseincludes at least one of a Cloud database or a non-Cloud database.

Some embodiments pertain to Example 10 that includes a method forfacilitating dynamic game surface adjustment, comprising: receiving oneor more inputs to perform an action at a portion of a play surface of aplay set; evaluating the one or more inputs for generating an actionplan to perform the action at the portion of the play surface, whereinthe action plan is to affect one or more objects acting on the surface;and executing the action at the portion of the surface, wherein theaction to adjust one or more properties of the play surface.

Example 11 includes the subject matter of Example 10, wherein the playsurface to host the one or more objects including one or more moveableobjects having object sensors, wherein the play surface includes atleast one of surface sensors, actuators, and physical effects detectors,wherein the play set comprises one or more of a smart toy, a smart gameset, a smart field, and a smart play area, and wherein the play surfaceincludes a play arena associated with the play set, and wherein the playsurface is further to host one or more users holding or wearing the oneor more moveable objects.

Example 12 includes the subject matter of Example 10, wherein thesensory input comprises at least one of surface-related sensory data asretrieved via one or more of the surface sensors, moveableobject-related sensory data as retrieved via one or more of the objectsensors, and physical effects-related information at the surface asretrieved via one or more of the physical effects detectors, and whereinthe one or more inputs include at least one of a user command, apredetermined criterion, a sensory input, and an audio/visual input.

Example 13 includes the subject matter of Example 10 or 12, wherein anactuator of the actuators to activate the portion of the play surface totrigger the action at the portion of the play surface, wherein theactuator is placed beneath the portion of the play surface, and whereinthe actuator is further to activate other one or more actions of theaction plan on the play surface, wherein the other one or more actionsinclude at least one of vibrating, moving, swinging, tilting, booming,sinking, and bumping of the play surface.

Example 14 includes the subject matter of Example 10, further comprisingprocessing, via sensors data processor, the sensory input prior toevaluating the one or more inputs to generate the action plan.

Example 15 includes the subject matter of Example 10, further comprisingevaluating the audio/video input to analyze activities of the one ormore moveable objects operating on the surface, wherein the audio/videoinput includes at least one of sounds, images, and videos relating tothe activities of the one or more moveable objects, wherein theaudio/video input is captured via at least of a two-dimensional (2D)camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, a microphone ofcapturing/sensing components.

Example 16 includes the subject matter of Example 10 or 15, furthercomprising facilitating, via one or more projectors of outputcomponents, a projection at the portion of the play surface, wherein theprojection to reflect an environment relevant to the action, wherein theprojection includes one or more of numbers, letters, characters,messages, lights, images, videos, and colors.

Example 17 includes the subject matter of Example 10, further comprisingstoring, at a database, the one or more inputs, wherein the database tofurther store rules or policies relating to at least one of the user,the action, and the play surface, wherein the database includes at leastone of a Cloud database or a non-Cloud database.

Example 18 includes the subject matter of Example 10 or 17, wherein theuser command is placed by a user via an user interface at a computingdevice over a communication medium, wherein the communication mediumincludes at least one of a Cloud network, an intranet, a proximitynetwork, and the Internet.

Example 19 includes at least one machine-readable medium comprising aplurality of instructions, when executed on a computing device, toimplement or perform a method or realize an apparatus as claimed in anypreceding claims or examples.

Example 20 includes at least one non-transitory or tangiblemachine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, whenexecuted on a computing device, to implement or perform a method orrealize an apparatus as claimed in any preceding claims or examples.

Example 21 includes a system comprising a mechanism to implement orperform a method or realize an apparatus as claimed in any precedingclaims or examples.

Example 22 includes an apparatus comprising means to perform a method asclaimed in any preceding claims or examples.

Example 23 includes a computing device arranged to implement or performa method or realize an apparatus as claimed in any preceding claims orexamples.

Example 24 includes a communications device arranged to implement orperform a method or realize an apparatus as claimed in any precedingclaims or examples.

Some embodiments pertain to Example 25 includes a system comprising astorage device having instructions, and a processor to execute theinstructions to facilitate a mechanism to perform one or more operationscomprising: receiving one or more inputs to perform an action at aportion of a play surface of a play set; evaluating the one or moreinputs for generating an action plan to perform the action at theportion of the play surface, wherein the action plan is to affect one ormore objects acting on the surface; and executing the action at theportion of the surface, wherein the action to adjust one or moreproperties of the play surface.

Example 26 includes the subject matter of Example 25, wherein the playsurface to host the one or more objects including one or more moveableobjects having object sensors, wherein the play surface includes atleast one of surface sensors, actuators, and physical effects detectors,wherein the play set comprises one or more of a smart toy, a smart gameset, a smart field, and a smart play area, and wherein the play surfaceincludes a play arena associated with the play set, and wherein the playsurface is further to host one or more users holding or wearing the oneor more moveable objects.

Example 27 includes the subject matter of Example 25, wherein thesensory input comprises at least one of surface-related sensory data asretrieved via one or more of the surface sensors, moveableobject-related sensory data as retrieved via one or more of the objectsensors, and physical effects-related information at the surface asretrieved via one or more of the physical effects detectors, and whereinthe one or more inputs include at least one of a user command, apredetermined criterion, a sensory input, and an audio/visual input.

Example 28 includes the subject matter of Example 25 or 27, wherein anactuator of the actuators to activate the portion of the play surface totrigger the action at the portion of the play surface, wherein theactuator is placed beneath the portion of the play surface, and whereinthe actuator is further to activate other one or more actions of theaction plan on the play surface, wherein the other one or more actionsinclude at least one of vibrating, moving, swinging, tilting, booming,sinking, and bumping of the play surface.

Example 29 includes the subject matter of Example 25, wherein the one ormore operations further comprise processing, via sensors data processor,the sensory input prior to evaluating the one or more inputs to generatethe action plan.

Example 30 includes the subject matter of Example 25, wherein the one ormore operations further comprise evaluating the audio/video input toanalyze activities of the one or more moveable objects operating on thesurface, wherein the audio/video input includes at least one of sounds,images, and videos relating to the activities of the one or moremoveable objects, wherein the audio/video input is captured via at leastof a two-dimensional (2D) camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, amicrophone of capturing/sensing components.

Example 31 includes the subject matter of Example 25 or 30, wherein theone or more operations further comprise facilitating, via one or moreprojectors of output components, a projection at the portion of the playsurface, wherein the projection to reflect an environment relevant tothe action, wherein the projection includes one or more of numbers,letters, characters, messages, lights, images, videos, and colors.

Example 32 includes the subject matter of Example 25, wherein the one ormore operations further comprise storing, at a database, the one or moreinputs, wherein the database to further store rules or policies relatingto at least one of the user, the action, and the play surface, whereinthe database includes at least one of a Cloud database or a non-Clouddatabase.

Example 33 includes the subject matter of Example 25 or 32, wherein theuser command is placed by a user via an user interface at a computingdevice over a communication medium, wherein the communication mediumincludes at least one of a Cloud network, an intranet, a proximitynetwork, and the Internet.

Some embodiments pertain to Example 34 includes an apparatus comprising:means for receiving one or more inputs to perform an action at a portionof a play surface of a play set; means for evaluating the one or moreinputs for generating an action plan to perform the action at theportion of the play surface, wherein the action plan is to affect one ormore objects acting on the surface; and means for executing the actionat the portion of the surface, wherein the action to adjust one or moreproperties of the play surface.

Example 35 includes the subject matter of Example 34, wherein the playsurface to host the one or more objects including one or more moveableobjects having object sensors, wherein the play surface includes atleast one of surface sensors, actuators, and physical effects detectors,wherein the play set comprises one or more of a smart toy, a smart gameset, a smart field, and a smart play area, and wherein the play surfaceincludes a play arena associated with the play set, and wherein the playsurface is further to host one or more users holding or wearing the oneor more moveable objects.

Example 36 includes the subject matter of Example 34, wherein thesensory input comprises at least one of surface-related sensory data asretrieved via one or more of the surface sensors, moveableobject-related sensory data as retrieved via one or more of the objectsensors, and physical effects-related information at the surface asretrieved via one or more of the physical effects detectors, and whereinthe one or more inputs include at least one of a user command, apredetermined criterion, a sensory input, and an audio/visual input.

Example 37 includes the subject matter of Example 34 or 36, wherein anactuator of the actuators to activate the portion of the play surface totrigger the action at the portion of the play surface, wherein theactuator is placed beneath the portion of the play surface, and whereinthe actuator is further to activate other one or more actions of theaction plan on the play surface, wherein the other one or more actionsinclude at least one of vibrating, moving, swinging, tilting, booming,sinking, and bumping of the play surface.

Example 38 includes the subject matter of Example 34, further comprisingmeans for processing, via sensors data processor, the sensory inputprior to evaluating the one or more inputs to generate the action plan.

Example 39 includes the subject matter of Example 34, further comprisingmeans for evaluating the audio/video input to analyze activities of theone or more moveable objects operating on the surface, wherein theaudio/video input includes at least one of sounds, images, and videosrelating to the activities of the one or more moveable objects, whereinthe audio/video input is captured via at least of a two-dimensional (2D)camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, a microphone ofcapturing/sensing components.

Example 40 includes the subject matter of Example 34 or 39, furthercomprising means for facilitating, via one or more projectors of outputcomponents, a projection at the portion of the play surface, wherein theprojection to reflect an environment relevant to the action, wherein theprojection includes one or more of numbers, letters, characters,messages, lights, images, videos, and colors.

Example 41 includes the subject matter of Example 34, further comprisingmeans for storing, at a database, the one or more inputs, wherein thedatabase to further store rules or policies relating to at least one ofthe user, the action, and the play surface, wherein the databaseincludes at least one of a Cloud database or a non-Cloud database.

Example 42 includes the subject matter of Example 34 or 41, wherein theuser command is placed by a user via an user interface at a computingdevice over a communication medium, wherein the communication mediumincludes at least one of a Cloud network, an intranet, a proximitynetwork, and the Internet.

Example 43 includes at least one non-transitory or tangiblemachine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, whenexecuted on a computing device, to implement or perform a method asclaimed in any of claims or examples 10-18.

Example 44 includes at least one machine-readable medium comprising aplurality of instructions, when executed on a computing device, toimplement or perform a method as claimed in any of claims or examples10-18.

Example 45 includes a system comprising a mechanism to implement orperform a method as claimed in any of claims or examples 10-18.

Example 46 includes an apparatus comprising means for performing amethod as claimed in any of claims or examples 10-18.

Example 47 includes a computing device arranged to implement or performa method as claimed in any of claims or examples 10-18.

Example 48 includes a communications device arranged to implement orperform a method as claimed in any of claims or examples 10-18.

The drawings and the forgoing description give examples of embodiments.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of thedescribed elements may well be combined into a single functionalelement. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiplefunctional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added toanother embodiment. For example, orders of processes described hereinmay be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein.Moreover, the actions any flow diagram need not be implemented in theorder shown; nor do all of the acts necessarily need to be performed.Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performedin parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no meanslimited by these specific examples. Numerous variations, whetherexplicitly given in the specification or not, such as differences instructure, dimension, and use of material, are possible. The scope ofembodiments is at least as broad as given by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: detection/receptionlogic to receive one or more inputs to perform an action at a portion ofa play surface of the apparatus; management logic to evaluate the one ormore inputs to generate an action plan to perform the action at theportion of the play surface, wherein the action plan is to affect one ormore objects acting on the surface; and application/execution logic toexecute the action at the portion of the surface, wherein the action toadjust one or more properties of the play surface.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the play surface to host the one or more objectsincluding one or more moveable objects having object sensors, whereinthe play surface includes at least one of surface sensors, actuators,and physical effects detectors, wherein the apparatus includes a playset comprising one or more of a smart toy, a smart game set, a smartfield, and a smart play area, and wherein the play surface includes aplay arena associated with the play set, and wherein the play surface isfurther to host one or more users holding or wearing the one or moremoveable objects.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensory inputcomprises at least one of surface-related sensory data as retrieved viaone or more of the surface sensors, moveable object-related sensory dataas retrieved via one or more of the object sensors, and physicaleffects-related information at the surface as retrieved via one or moreof the physical effects detectors, and wherein the one or more inputsinclude at least one of a user command, a predetermined criterion, asensory input, and an audio/visual input.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein an actuator of the actuators to activate the portion of the playsurface to trigger the action at the portion of the play surface,wherein the actuator is placed beneath the portion of the play surface,and wherein the actuator is further to activate other one or moreactions of the action plan on the play surface, wherein the other one ormore actions include at least one of vibrating, moving, swinging,tilting, booming, sinking, and bumping of the play surface.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, further comprising sensors data processor of themanagement logic to process the sensory input prior to evaluating theone or more inputs to generate the action plan.
 6. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising video/audio analytics logic to evaluate theaudio/video input to analyze activities of the one or more moveableobjects operating on the surface, wherein the audio/video input includesat least one of sounds, images, and videos relating to the activities ofthe one or more moveable objects, wherein the audio/video input iscaptured via at least of a two-dimensional (2D) camera, athree-dimensional (3D) camera, a microphone of capturing/sensingcomponents.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising outputcomponents including one or more projectors to facilitate a projectionat the portion of the play surface, wherein the projection to reflect anenvironment relevant to the action, wherein the projection includes oneor more of numbers, letters, characters, messages, lights, images,videos, and colors.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the usercommand is placed by a user via an user interface at a computing deviceover a communication medium, wherein the communication medium includesat least one of a Cloud network, an intranet, a proximity network, andthe Internet.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a databaseto store the one or more inputs, wherein the database to further storerules or policies relating to at least one of the user, the action, andthe play surface, wherein the database includes at least one of a Clouddatabase or a non-Cloud database.
 10. A method comprising: receiving oneor more inputs to perform an action at a portion of a play surface of aplay set; evaluating the one or more inputs for generating an actionplan to perform the action at the portion of the play surface, whereinthe action plan is to affect one or more objects acting on the surface;and executing the action at the portion of the surface, wherein theaction to adjust one or more properties of the play surface.
 11. Themethod of claim 10, wherein the play surface to host the one or moreobjects including one or more moveable objects having object sensors,wherein the play surface includes at least one of surface sensors,actuators, and physical effects detectors, wherein the play setcomprises one or more of a smart toy, a smart game set, a smart field,and a smart play area, and wherein the play surface includes a playarena associated with the play set, and wherein the play surface isfurther to host one or more users holding or wearing the one or moremoveable objects.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensory inputcomprises at least one of surface-related sensory data as retrieved viaone or more of the surface sensors, moveable object-related sensory dataas retrieved via one or more of the object sensors, and physicaleffects-related information at the surface as retrieved via one or moreof the physical effects detectors, and wherein the one or more inputsinclude at least one of a user command, a predetermined criterion, asensory input, and an audio/visual input.
 13. The method of claim 12,wherein an actuator of the actuators to activate the portion of the playsurface to trigger the action at the portion of the play surface,wherein the actuator is placed beneath the portion of the play surface,and wherein the actuator is further to activate other one or moreactions of the action plan on the play surface, wherein the other one ormore actions include at least one of vibrating, moving, swinging,tilting, booming, sinking, and bumping of the play surface.
 14. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising processing, via sensors dataprocessor, the sensory input prior to evaluating the one or more inputsto generate the action plan.
 15. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising evaluating the audio/video input to analyze activities of theone or more moveable objects operating on the surface, wherein theaudio/video input includes at least one of sounds, images, and videosrelating to the activities of the one or more moveable objects, whereinthe audio/video input is captured via at least of a two-dimensional (2D)camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, a microphone ofcapturing/sensing components.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising facilitating, via one or more projectors of outputcomponents, a projection at the portion of the play surface, wherein theprojection to reflect an environment relevant to the action, wherein theprojection includes one or more of numbers, letters, characters,messages, lights, images, videos, and colors.
 17. The method of claim10, further comprising storing, at a database, the one or more inputs,wherein the database to further store rules or policies relating to atleast one of the user, the action, and the play surface, wherein thedatabase includes at least one of a Cloud database or a non-Clouddatabase, wherein the user command is placed by a user via an userinterface at a computing device over a communication medium, wherein thecommunication medium includes at least one of a Cloud network, anintranet, a proximity network, and the Internet.
 18. At least onemachine-readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions, executedon a computing device, to facilitate the computing device to perform oneor more operations comprising: receiving one or more inputs to performan action at a portion of a play surface of a play set; evaluating theone or more inputs for generating an action plan to perform the actionat the portion of the play surface, wherein the action plan is to affectone or more objects acting on the surface; and executing the action atthe portion of the surface, wherein the action to adjust one or moreproperties of the play surface.
 19. The machine-readable medium of claim18, wherein the play surface to host the one or more objects includingone or more moveable objects having object sensors, wherein the playsurface includes at least one of surface sensors, actuators, andphysical effects detectors, wherein the play set comprises one or moreof a smart toy, a smart game set, a smart field, and a smart play area,and wherein the play surface includes a play arena associated with theplay set, and wherein the play surface is further to host one or moreusers holding or wearing the one or more moveable objects.
 20. Themachine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the sensory input comprisesat least one of surface-related sensory data as retrieved via one ormore of the surface sensors, moveable object-related sensory data asretrieved via one or more of the object sensors, and physicaleffects-related information at the surface as retrieved via one or moreof the physical effects detectors, and wherein the one or more inputsinclude at least one of a user command, a predetermined criterion, asensory input, and an audio/visual input.
 21. The machine-readablemedium of claim 20, wherein an actuator of the actuators to activate theportion of the play surface to trigger the action at the portion of theplay surface, wherein the actuator is placed beneath the portion of theplay surface, and wherein the actuator is further to activate other oneor more actions of the action plan on the play surface, wherein theother one or more actions include at least one of vibrating, moving,swinging, tilting, booming, sinking, and bumping of the play surface.22. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the one or moreoperations further comprise processing, via sensors data processor, thesensory input prior to evaluating the one or more inputs to generate theaction plan.
 23. The machine-readable medium of claim 18, wherein theone or more operations further comprise evaluating the audio/video inputto analyze activities of the one or more moveable objects operating onthe surface, wherein the audio/video input includes at least one ofsounds, images, and videos relating to the activities of the one or moremoveable objects, wherein the audio/video input is captured via at leastof a two-dimensional (2D) camera, a three-dimensional (3D) camera, amicrophone of capturing/sensing components.
 24. The machine-readablemedium of claim 23, wherein the one or more operations further comprisefacilitating, via one or more projectors of output components, aprojection at the portion of the play surface, wherein the projection toreflect an environment relevant to the action, wherein the projectionincludes one or more of numbers, letters, characters, messages, lights,images, videos, and colors.
 25. The machine-readable medium of claim 18,wherein the one or more operations further comprise storing, at adatabase, the one or more inputs, wherein the database to further storerules or policies relating to at least one of the user, the action, andthe play surface, wherein the database includes at least one of a Clouddatabase or a non-Cloud database, wherein the user command is placed bya user via an user interface at a computing device over a communicationmedium, wherein the communication medium includes at least one of aCloud network, an intranet, a proximity network, and the Internet.